Short Answer Questions

1. What pleasure do Mattie and Ethan allow themselves before the train comes?

2. Ethan recalls that Mattie's few belongings had _____________________________________.

3. What details does the narrator provide about the Fromes?

4. What new clues indicate Zeena's continued satisfaction over her victory?

5. Why is the lumber especially hard for Ethan to load?

Essay Topics

Essay Topic 1

Consider the motifs of brokenness, sickness, and injury in Ethan Frome. Write an essay in which you explain the significance of any one of these motifs to the theme or message of the novel.

Essay Topic 2

Over the course of the novel, Ethan loses hope in many of his dreams. Write an essay in which you follow the progression of Ethan's defeat using specific events and motifs to support your argument.

Essay Topic 3

Consider the minor characters in the novel, such as Harmon Gow, Jotham Powell, Andrew Hale, or Ruth Varnum Hale, and write an essay in which you describe the influence of any minor character's actions on the events or theme of the text.